Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



W. G. WARD.

Patented Feb. 21

BREEGH LOADING FIREARM. No. 111,994.

warps pzrsns ca. vuc raumoq wumumon. o. c

pin.

that aids.

WILLIAM eQ WARD, or

EDGE-WATER, NEW YORK.

" Letters Patent No. 111,994, dated February 21, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent aid' making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WI LIAM G. WARD, of Edgewater, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Im provement in Breech-loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, sntiicient to enable those skilled in the art to to which iny invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.

My inventiourelates to certain improvements in fire-arms for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted to Bethel Burton on the 11th day of August, 1868, (reissued November 21869,)

and the 29th day of Jade, 1869, arid to myself on the- 29th day of June, 1869, the 31st day of August, 1869, the 7th day of December,1869, and the 1st day of February, 1870; and

It consists in- First, a safety device on the front end of the hammer, for engaging with a hook on the upper end or the trigger-bolt;

Second, a cam, on thefttront end of the hammer, for

pressing down the trigger-bolt and diminishing the travel of the trigger;

Third, a stop, fen limiting the movement of the trigger and preventing the accidental dropping out of the breech-pin Fourth, a combination of devices for preventing ..tached to the gun.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hammer and firing-pin;

Figured is a side view of the hammer and tiring- Figure 6 is a front view "(if the handle or lever.

Figure 7 is a rear view of the slideior cover.

On the front end of the hammer Ga curved groove, g, is formed, extending, for about one-fourth of the circumference of the hammer, more or less, as maybe desired.

This groove is of a depth corresponding with a hook, m on the rear side of the upper end of the trigge -bolt, and is abruptly terminated by the formation of a notch, g, at such point as that when the parts are in position, shown in figs. 1 and 2, the groove 9'' is ready to engage with the hook m and prevent thewithdrawal of the trigger-bolt M by the pulling of the trigger O but when the lever f is turned down to lock the piece, the notch g is brought opposite the trigger-bolt 'so that it may be withdrawn by pulling the triggers If desired the groove 9 may extend cutircly around the hammer, and the notch g may be formed assh'own. in 4.

When the groove is formed, as first-above described, I also form, on the front end of the hammer, a cam, y,for the purpose of pressing down the triggerbolt M and diminishing the travel of the trigger.

This cam r is situated on the side of the notch g' opposite to the termination of the groove 1 so that when the lever f is-tumed down toJockthe piece the cam g presses upon the upper end of the trigger-bolt M and forces it down a short distance, thus diminishing the travel of the-trigger.

For limiting the movement of the triggerand preventing the breech-pin from dropping out, I employ a button, B, (see figs. 1 and 2,) pivoted between the stock and the guard-plate in such a manner that by movingit toward the rear, it rests immediately under the trigger-bolt and prevents it from being drawn down far enough to allow the breech-pinto fall out or be withdrawn from the breech-piece; but, by turning it in the opposite direction, the triggerbolt is allowed to descend far enough to 'allow the withdrawal of the breech-pin.

a; For preventing the possibility of displacement of the parts by downward pressure when the breech is ropen and the parts are in the position shown in fig. 1,

' 1 form on that portion of the bolt which comes in contact withthe rear endjof the breech-pieceor receiver 15 agroovc, f*, which engages with a tongue, 0, formed on the rear end of the slide or cover 0, (see figs. 6 and 7,) so that when the parts are together the tongue 0 and groove if hold them together and prevent displacement by engaging with each other, as shown in fig. 1.

The same object may be accomplished by forming the sides of thc rccessio in the slide or cover 0 at acute angles with the top of said recess instead of perpendicular thereto, and forming the sectional screw place they act as a dovetail, as shown in fig. 1.

portion of the hammer G may be arranged spirally or transversely instead of longitudinally, as heretofore.

\, On one side of the breech-piece or receiver B, at each end of the opening in said breech-piece, I form lugs or enlargements, having sockets to receive the or cam y. to correspond therewith, so that when in When desired the flutiug or grooving on the rear pivots of a magazine, Z, so that it maybe suspended,

as shown in fig, 3. The magazine consists of a box or case made of metal orany other suitable material,

. the cartridges may be fedont singly.

('Oiiof the pivots by which'itis attached to the breechpiece is rigid, the other pivot 5 plays loosely in a casing and is provided with a thumb-piece for drawing it baek and a spring for pressing it forward.

LWhen the magazine is turned npand the cut-0d ssed by the thumb or finger the cartridges maybe.

fed into the breech-piece singly.

f When not needed for use the magazine may be readny detached from the gun and carried on the belt.

' What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

, 1. A groove on the front end of the hammer, constructed to engage with the upper end of the triggerbolt. substantially as shown and described,

2. The combination of a groove oiixthe'fi'ont end of the hammer, and a notch inorhook 011 the rear .111)- per end of the trigger-bolt, substantially as and-for the purpose specified. 1 i

3. A cam on the front 'end of the hammeayto press down the trigger bolt and din-finish thetravel ofthe trigger, when constructed snbstdhtia lly, as shown and described.

4. The stop B, in combination with the trigger, for limiting the movement of thetriggezbolt;substantially as shownand described.

5. The combination ofthe tongneiand' groove for preventing displacement of the parts, substantially as shown and described. I

6. In combination with a breech-loading iile-arni, provided with l'ngs the magazine Z, rovided with the pivots s", as and for the purpose specified.

W. G. WARD.

Witnesses 

